Fire extinguisher holder



March 1, 1938.

R. w. DUNICA FIRE EXTINGUISHER HOLDER Filed Aug. 18, 1936 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Invenior March 1, 1938. w DUNICA 2,109,821

FIRE EXTINGUI SHER HOLDER Filed Aug. 18, 1936 s Sheets-Shet 2 Inventor,

A itorne March 1, 1938. R. w. DUNICA 2,109,821

FIRE EXTINGUISHER HOLDER Filed Aug. 18, 1936 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Inventor 4ito neys 15 needed to spray the chemical on the blaze.

Patented Mar. 1, 193$ a UNITED 'iENT FFiE 2 Claims.

This invention relates to an especially designed clamping and holding device for a conventional portable invertible type fire extinguisher, and it has more specific reference to a structure which 15 is susceptible of use in buildings, on fire trucks,

and elsewhere.

Needless to say, 'I am aware that Various types of supports, wall brackets, and the like, are 7 utilized to removably hold conventional fire ex- 10 tinguishers in a position in readiness for-use in case of emergency. Frequently these devices are of a simple strap type, or of such other form as to materially interfere with the expeditious detachment of the fire extinguisher therefrom when It is evident, however, that in cases of emergency, where the user of the fire extinguisher is apt to be confused, it is for the common good of all concerned to provide a holder such as will enable 20 the extinguisher to be readily removed from the holder in a simple and reliable manner.

- It follows, therefore, that the present invention has to do with the provision of an especially constructed fire extinguisher which, it is be- ;25 lieved, is comparatively simple, inexpensive, efiicient, and otherwise aptly fitted for the purposes intended.

Briefly, the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a cup-like base for receiving the tank of the fire extinguisher, said base being provided with uprights and especially designed clamping means for embracing the tank in such a way as to releaseit quickly under the action of a simple hand lever controlledrelease device.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate corresponding elements 0 and details throughout the views:

Figure l is an elevational view of a conventional fire extinguisher showing how it is associated with a. fixture or holder constructed in accordance with the principles of the present inventive conception.

Figure 2 is an enlarged horizontal sectional View taken approximately in the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure 1. V

Figure 3 is a section on a horizontalplane somewhat lower down taken in the plane of the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail view showing how one of the uprights may be attached to the rim portion of the cup or receptacle forming a 55 dominating feature of the assembly.

Figure 5 'is a fragmentary view showing the Figure'fi is a fragmentary elevation of one end of one of the relatively swingable releasable clamping members. Figure 7 is a similar'end view of the complernental or companion clamping member.

Referring to Figured, it will be observed that l the numeral 8'designates a conventional fire extinguisher of the so-called invertible chemical tank type. This is provided with the customary rubber discharge hose 9-. In the present arrangement it is set removably in a receptacle which constitutes a base It, this being of circular cuplike design. The upstanding annular rim is notched or split at what might be called the front, as indicated at H, and this provides, in

conjunction with acorrelated notch 12, a ,handhole for expediting removaland handling of the i fire extinguisher. The base plate 13 is provided with suitable anchoring bolts or equivalent fa s tene'rs M whereby to permit it to be attached to a vehicle, to a shelf, or other relatively fixed sup port. The upstanding marginal rim l5 carries the elevated tank-embracing and clamping means. This means must necessarily be of such a character as to permit it to be operated under adverse conditions, especially at night. That is to say, it must be so simple,'accurate, and dependable as to permit the excited user to successfully release the clamp, then bodily remove and invert the extinguisher. This being an outstanding requirement in devices of this kind, the In present invention is obviously devoted to means which will accomplish this result satisfactorily.

The means comprises essentially a pair of rods or uprights l6, these being located at diametrically opposite points with'the lower ends I! flattened and riveted or otherwise secured to the rim is. The parts it may be of any suitable elevation and the upper ends are reduced to form hinge pintles I8. The extreme upper ends are screw-threaded to accommodate retaining nuts it to maintain the proper assemblage of parts.

As shown to advantage in Figure 2, the relatively stationary part of the tank-embracing and clamping means is in the form of a semi-circular metal band of appropriate metal, this being indicated at 20 and provided with one or more attaching screws 2!. The ends thereof are formed into eyes 22 which embrace the aforementioned pintles l8. This part 28 is lined with proper cushioning means interposed between the casing or tank and said semi-circular band 20 as indicated at 23. Similar segmental rubber cushioning liners 24 and 25 are interposed between the relatively swingable quadrant-type clamping members 26 and 21. The latter parts have corresponding ends bifurcated and the furcations are formed into eyes 28 having hinge connection with the pintles as detailed in Figure 5. This allows the parts 26 and 2'! to swing open to permit the extinguisher to be lifted up and out for use. Incidentally, the part 21 is provided with an appropriate supplementary feature which may be described as a retainer for the hose. This feature is indicated at 29 and formed with a seat or retaining member 30 for the nozzle 3| of the hose.

Referring to Figure 6, it will be observed that the opposite end of the quadrant clamping member 21 is also bifurcated or formed with a notch 32, the furcations terminating in eyes 33 to accommodate a fixedly mounted pivot pin 34. The corresponding end of the companion clamping strap or band 26 is formed with a tang or extension 35 which extends removably through the slot provided by the notch 32. This tang 35 is of appropriate curvature projecting laterally through and beyond the slotted or notched end of the part 21. It terminates in a keeper hook 36 to accommodate a cam-like detent 31 constituting the toe portion of the heel or head 38 on the operating lever 39. The fact is, this foot or head 38 conforms in shape to bear against the releasable hooked tang 35. In addition, it is pivoted intermediate its ends as shown in Figure 2, on the pivot pin 34 so that it may operate properly in the notch 32.

In practice the parts must of necessity be properly shaped to firmly embrace the tank or casing of the extinguisher. They must be especially matched so that the features 35 and 36 properly coact with the notch 32 and the lever and releasing head 38. That is to say, precision in manufacture and construction must be resorted to so as to insure proper sensitivity of control. The cushioning elements 23, 24, and 25 not only serve to properly grip the tank, but also provide, to a. limited extent, the necessary resilient action to maintain the clamp properly closed. At the same time the features 24 and 25 yield by compression to the depressible action of the foot 38 to allow for release.

With the parts as shown in Figure 2, it is evident that by grasping the handle 39 of the lever and pulling in a direction of the arrow A, the cam or toe portion 3'! bearing against the hook 36 will force the hook back or in through the notch sufiiciently to allow the free swingable end of the part 21 to clear the terminal of the hook 36 and to permit both parts 26 and 21 to separate in a reliable manner to expose the tank. The hand-hole in the base 10 permits the tank to be properly grasped and bodily lifted and thereafter tilted to direct the chemical through the hose 9 onto the blaze.

It is obvious that considerable novelty is thought to reside in the provision of the uprights 16 carried by the cup-shaped base I0 wherein these are provided with the three cooperating bands 20, 21, and 26, to form a proper embracing holder to maintain the extinguisher 8 reliably in the receptacle or base. Essentially, however, the novelty is directed to the pivotally mounted clamping members 26 and 2'! ,of quadrant formation wherein these are pivotally attached to the pintles l8 and releasably joined together by a proper trip-type joint. Specifically, the novelty is directed to the intersecting relationship of the terminals of the parts 26 and 2'! and the pressertype releasing lever properly cooperable therewith to allow the free ends of said parts 26 and 2! to be separated.

It is thought that the description taken in connection with the drawings will enable a clear understanding of the invention to be had. Therefore, a more lengthy description is thought unnecessary.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that minor changes coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to if desired.

I claim:

1. In a structure of the class described, a base, uprights carried by said base, and clamping means connected to said uprights, said clamping means including a semi-circular main section fixed at its ends to said uprights to be located 30 on one side thereof, and a pair of supplementary sections hingedly connected to said uprights to be located on the opposite side thereof, said supplementary clamping sections having their corresponding free ends releasably joined together, one free end being bifurcated and terminating in eyes carrying a pivot pin, a lever having a head pivotally attached intermediate its ends to said pin with a toe portion thereof movable between the furcations, the corresponding free end of the other supplementary section being formed into a tang extending between and beyond said furcations and terminating in a hook releasably engageable with the toe portion of said head.

2. In a support for a fire extinguisher tank, a circular plate-like base for supporting the bottom of the tank provided with a front edge recess exposing the bottom edge of the tank to provide for obtaining a hand hold thereon to lift said tank vertically off the base, said base having an upstanding marginal keeper flange for retaining the tank thereon terminating upon opposite sides of said recess to provide a gap in the flange for the passage of the hand therethrough in the lifting of the tank, a pair of rod-like uprights upstanding from said flange upon diametrically opposite sides thereof, respectively, and upon opposite sides of said gap, and an annular horizontal clamp on said uprights for engaging the upper end of the tank and including a pair of front clamping sections adapted to be secured together end-to-end in clamping relation and swingable laterally on said uprights, respectively, from clamping relation to permit the tank to be removed forwardly from its lifted position.

RALPH W. DUNICA. 

